The U.S. Census and the Amazing Apportionment Machine

Apportionment is the process of dividing the seats in the House of Representatives among the 50 states based on the population figures collected during the decennial census. The number of seats in the House has grown with the country. Congress sets the number in law and increased the number to 435 in 1913. The Constitution set the number of representatives at 65 from 1787 until the first Census of 1790, when the it was increased to 105 members.

But how does apportionment actually work? Through animation, the U.S. Census Bureau helps explain how the apportionment formula is used to ensure equal representation for all, just like the Founding Fathers planned.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• 2010 Census
• Apportionment
• Count
• Decennial
• Founding Fathers
• Thomas Jefferson
• Alexander Hamilton
• Formula
• Animation
• House of Representatives
• representation
• vote
• census
• decennial

[why435org]

Does it really need to be this complicated? why435.org has the answer.

[rovscale]

@Deisongp it does. what the fuck are you talking about?

[Deisongp]

interesting..but, wouldnt it be better, and easier, elect the representatives by popular vote?

[dnissen2012]

If you look at an unmodified version of the formula, and rank solely on people per representative, California should get less, as well as Texas and New York. Montana, South Dakota, and Delaware should all get 2.

But nooooooooo...it has to be some complicated formula that has massive bias to larger states,

[dnissen2012]

@socialisteducation Look at Project 30,000. I don't have a website, but it is a project that limits the people per representative to 60,000.

[socialisteducation]

Um. If we were actually following the Constitution, then the U.S. House should almost double in size. This would help make representatives more accountable to their people as well.

[threepwoodish]

@mikelonia the size of 435 begins with the apportionment act of 1941, and the supreme court test of "one person one vote" has overruled any challenges to congressional size change since. i'm with you though, we should at least double if not triple the house size.. but it'll never happen until the House expands itself when the disparities become so great it can no longer be ignored. That's what we do in this country, ignore it until it becomes a huge problem.

[mikelonia]

Why the size of Congress changed for every census until 1910 where it has been frozen ever since at 435? At that time each representative represented an average of 210,000 citizens and in 2000 it was up to 650,000? No wonder Congress is so out of touch with what people want.

[MrWashingTea]

I don't suppose the Census Bureau would be interested in a video explaining how the census data can (and is) used to manipulate election results. No probably not. Wouldn't want our kids to thnk...

[jimbobago]

@alevihnc They hardly "forgot" Washington DC. Since it's not part of any state, it was designed to not qualify under many of the rules that apply to states. If any of them don't like it, the citizens of DC can always move.